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Showing posts from January, 2025

The Genius Next Door: Creating An Ecosystem For Innovation In Zimbabwe

I recently watched a video of a  Maxwell Chikumbutso ,  Zimbabwean inventor who created a self powering car that runs on radio waves.¹ As I marveled at his ingenuity, I couldn't help but think of the countless possibilities that this innovation could unlock. In a world where sustainable energy solutions are increasingly important, a car that runs on radio waves is more than just a novelty - it's a potential game-changer. But as I continued to watch, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this inventor's story is all too familiar. We've seen this story play out before: a brilliant idea, a promising start, but ultimately, a lack of support to take it to the next level. The issue isn't just about funding; it's about the lack of policies, frameworks and infrastructure to support innovative projects like this. He needs funding to scale up his prototype, but we don't have a venture capital ecosystem in Zimbabwe.² He's likely received some funding- enough t...

Can Africa’s AI Ecosystem Thrive Without a Facebook or Google Equivalent? Is a Homegrown Giant Necessary for Growth?

Can Africa’s AI Ecosystem Thrive Without a Facebook or Google Equivalent? Is a Homegrown Giant Necessary for Growth? Over the past few weeks, I've spent my spare time posting short tutorials about AI and startups on my WhatsApp status, mainly for my contacts. The goal is to encourage people to get involved in tech. However, it often feels like I'm selling a pipe dream, as most people here, don't have the luxury to pursue such projects. Many are focused on survival and immediate returns. I've also heard many people tell African founders to focus on solving "African problems" . While this sounds noble, I've had to ask myself: what exactly are African problems? I'm always fascinated by the work that people like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and others are doing—building rockets to Mars, virtual reality, and all that cool stuff. That's not really tackling hunger now, is it? So it makes me wonder: why don't we have new breakthrough innovations coming...

Cybersecurity Essentials: How To Stay Safe On The Internet

  Hi there, my name's Likhwa and welcome to Building Africa's Next Tech Unicorn. on this platform I give a behind the scenes look at what it takes to build a startup within the African context. In today's video, I'll be doing something different- I'll be talking about how you can stay safe online. This isn't meant to scare you or get you all paranoid, but to help you be more vigilant in protecting yourself and your loved ones from cyber threats.  Most people underestimate the dangers of the internet, but the more I am exposed to it, the more I wish I didn't need it. At times I wish I could just disconnect, get rid of all my devices and not have to worry about the constant threats that come with being online. I believe some of us are fortunate by default- especially those who live in countries like my Zimbabwe- because we hardly use credit cards to transact online and even when we do, its not like we have a lot of money- otherwise we would be a hacker's g...